Nord Rack 2 Pitch Bend Problem

mcpepe · Joined: Jan 04, 2008 Posts: 6 Location: Marbella, Spain

I have purchased a second hand Nord Rack 2. The OS Version is 1,06.
The Nord responds perfectly well to the notes i play from my midi keyboards, BUT doesn't respond to the mod wheel or the pitch bend at all. I have tried with 2 diferents keyboards (Remote 37SL and Yamaha SY77) with no success.
It is posiblle that the Nord Rack 2 is broken and doesn't receive pitch wheel and mw messages?

Thanks for the help.

blue hell · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 5:54 pm Post subject:

I don't know much about the Nord Leads, but it seems unlikely that it's broken in a way that would filter out pitch bend messages only. More likely it's a setting somewhere that's wrong. Probably when Wout tunes in here he'll know Very Happy

BTW.

Wout Blommers · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 1:59 am Post subject:

Good morning Smile

When a Rack is booting, it searches for the Keyboard, the PitchStick and the ModWheel. If it doesn't find these, the synth 'knows' it's a rack version. Broken or not, a rack is a rack and will stay a rack.
If you are able to connect a control pedal to the control input and [Shift + 7 times Special > E.of] is set, the pedal has the same function as the ModWheel. Try if the data works... Let us know.

Another thing can be, but I don't know 'why'... The former owner could DIY modified the connections inside. I know, it's a weird thought...

Wout

mcpepe · Joined: Jan 04, 2008 Posts: 6 Location: Marbella, Spain

Thanks for the answers.
I have connected a expression pedal in the control pedal input and it works correctlly. The expression pedal does the same function as what the mw should do. Perfect. The Shift+Special was in E.Of position.
BUT playing from a keyboard, the mw and pitch bend doesnt work.
I have done a few more experiments with a sequencer (Logic Cool

. I play and record a track with notes, pitch bend, mw, expression pedal, program changes and moving the knobs of the N2r. Everything is recorded perfectly well. But when I reproduce the track (The N2r then receives the data from the physical midi input) only the notes and program changes worked well. It seems that the problem is that the physcal midi input only receives midi notes and program changes, and filters out everything else.
Looking at the Shift+Prog.Ctrl menu, the 3 parameters are "on".(P.on, C.on, A.on)
I am starting to think that the N2r is broken.
Thanks again.

blue hell · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 6:31 am Post subject:

Again, sorry Very Happy

, it's highly unlikely that it's broken in a way that selectively filters out pitch bend messages. This is because the incoming MIDI is a digital signal going into a digital circuit directly where the tones are computed, remember this synth really is a computer. So either all or no MIDI should be working. For the same reason it is also highly unlikely that someone moded the synth to filter out pitch bend messages.

I had a look at the manual, pitch bend reception over MIDI is implemented according to the MIDI implementation chart. Version 1.06 is the most recent software BTW.

It looks most like either the pitch bend messages do not reach the synth at all or that the pitch bend range is set to +/- 1 semitone maybe (in the system menu).

mcpepe · Joined: Jan 04, 2008 Posts: 6 Location: Marbella, Spain

The N2r is with the Pitch Bend Range set to "br2" in the system menu.
Remember that i have discovered that (with my sequencer experiment) it doesnt receive pitch messages, but also doesnt receive aftertouch, mod wheel, and all the CCs for controlling frecuency, resonance, attack, etc... It only accepts midi notes and program changes.
When the N2r is powered on it says "1,06" and nr2. It is in perfect condition, no scratches, knobs and buttons perfect, almost new. This is so strange....
I have contacted the previous owner and he says me that it worked well for him, but he doesnt used a keyboard, he used a sequencer to play the n2r.
This was a gift for "reyes magos" (like Santa Claus here in Spain), am I feel a lot sad.
Thanks a lot for helping.

blue hell · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 6:47 am Post subject:

Wout Blommers · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 7:56 am Post subject:

Somewhere in the Midi 'line' these data are filtered out and, as Jan already wrote, highly unlikely in the NR2. Please can you describe your set up, like Midi interfaces etc?

Wout

Wout Blommers · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 7:59 am Post subject:

BTW has Logic (I never worked with it) a Midi Filter set up? If so, have you checked this? Important when you use a Midi Through option.
Have tried to connect the controller keyboard Midi Out directly into the Midi In of the NR2? (I assume both keyboards send out the desired data in the same Midi Impelmentation values...) You can also try Midi Global Channel on the NR2...

Wout

mcpepe · Joined: Jan 04, 2008 Posts: 6 Location: Marbella, Spain

I have tried a few different setups, always with the same results:
a) Yamaha SY77 Midi Out---->Nr2 Midi In (directly without passing through computer)
b)Novation Remote 37 SL Midi Out----->Nr2 Midi In. (directly without passing through computer)
c)Logic 8 sequencer with midi data (notes, aftertouch, pitch bend, CCs,....I can see all this midi data in Logic without no doubt)--->RME FireFace400 Midi Out----->Nr2 Midi In.
In Logic, I am not filtering out these midi data. In fact i can see them in the screen.
Always the same results: Receive midi notes and program changes, but no pitch bend, mw, at or CCs.

I have tried with different values of pitch bend range (i.e: br9)

In menu Shift+Midi i have channel 1 for the slot A, ch2 for slotB, ch3 for slotC, ch4 for slotD. Global channel is set to 1 "G.1"

All keyboards (SY77 and Remote3SL) transmit in channel 1.

I am not new to MIDI, nor rack synths. I have played synths from 1989.

Thanks.

Wout Blommers · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 10:56 am Post subject:

blue hell · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 11:10 am Post subject:

mcpepe · Joined: Jan 04, 2008 Posts: 6 Location: Marbella, Spain

NOW IT WORKS!
The problem was, like Blue Hell was saying, that the Global channel was the same as the Slot A. I have changed the Global channel to 5 and the pitch bend and mw are working ok now! The CCs, aftertouch, etc... are working ok now too!.
THANKS a lot for the help. I was going to discuss with the buyer...
Did I say Thanks! Very Happy

blue hell · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 1:59 pm Post subject:

Cool!

Hope you'll have fun now with your new synth Very Happy

Wout Blommers · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 3:42 pm Post subject:

Wout Blommers · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 3:48 pm Post subject:

blue hell · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 3:56 pm Post subject:

Wout Blommers · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 4:02 pm Post subject:

Maybe... Never used the synth, so at last he sold it?

Wout

blue hell · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 4:21 pm Post subject:

Nope.

mcpepe · Joined: Jan 04, 2008 Posts: 6 Location: Marbella, Spain

I bought the Nr2 from a guy at a internet forum. I have not ever seen him.
When i first received the N2r, I plugged the Remote 37SL Midi Out to the Midi In of the N2r, but i heard no sound. My Remote 37SL was transmiting in channel 1, and the N2r was set to SlotA midi channel 5. The Global Channel was channel 1. If I simply would put my keyboard to transmit in channel 5, there would not be any problem. (I think thats what the seller did). But what I did was to assign the channel 1 to the SlotA (the same of global channel1) and it didnt work...
I was thinking the seller was a bad guy, but i was wrong. I finally have a working N2r, in almost perfect condition. Very Happy

To tell the whole story: I was dreaming of buying a new Nord Wave, but I have never tryed a Clavia synth, so I thinked why not buy a 2nd hand Nord to play with it before spending so much cash in a new Wave? I can play a few months with it and if I really like it, sell it (i will not loose too much money) and spend the big money in the Wave.
So little time playing with the N2r but I like the sounds, it seems very expressive to me, with great sensivity to the touch of the keys. I hope I will spend good times with it!

blue hell · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 5:13 pm Post subject:

Wout Blommers · Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 3:23 am Post subject:

Indeed, it makes sense. Midi Channel 5 was his lead channel in his studio. I think people should make a rule out of it: When selling something, always deliver in 'Factory' settings...

The other Global issue was the NL wouldn't react to Midi CC #7 during playing a sequencer.

Wout